Bidirectional board game and method for playing the same

ABSTRACT

A bidirectional board game includes a playing board, and a plurality of playing pieces. The playing board has a matrix of squares defined by horizontal lines and vertical lines configured on a surface of the playing board. The squares are allocated in two regions identified for the two players, respectively. Each square allocated to both of the players includes a diagonal line. The playing pieces are divided into two distinguishable families each controlled by one of the two players. Each family includes a sovereign piece and a plurality of numeral pieces indicating a numeral  1  to  5 . When playing the board game, the two players alternate moving the playing piece. The numeral indicated on the numeral piece is the maximum number of steps allowed to move in one action. Which hostile playing pieces can be captured by the numeral piece is determined by the numeral indicated thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a strategic board game apparatus and a method for playing the game, and more particularly, to a bidirectional board game and a method for playing the same.

2. The Prior Arts

Xiangqi, weiqi, chess, checker are popular board games that need strategy and tactics. However, people still need new board games for a variety of recreation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a new board game and a method for playing the same, which are different from all existed board games. The board game is a recreational and competitive game played between two players. When playing the board game, the two players alternate moving their playing pieces on a playing board to attack and defense each other. In this concern, playing the board game is an excellent mental activity that challenges the brain, and thus players might find this game appealing and interesting.

A bidirectional board game according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a playing board, and a plurality of playing pieces. The playing board has a matrix of squares defined by a plurality of horizontal lines and vertical lines configured on a surface of the playing board. The squares are allocated in two regions identified for the two players respectively. Each square in the regions includes a diagonal line. The playing pieces are divided into two distinguishable families each controlled by one of the two players. Each family of the playing pieces includes one sovereign piece indicating a sovereign of the family represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 1 represented with a word or a symbol, three numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 2 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 3 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 4 represented with a word or a symbol, and two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 5 represented with a word or a symbol. When playing the board game, the two players alternate moving one playing piece at a time. The sovereign piece is allowed to move one step either horizontally or vertically. The sovereign piece is not allowed to move diagonally unless the move is along the diagonal line and for capturing a hostile playing piece. Each of the numeral pieces is allowed to move a predetermined number of steps each time, in which the predetermined number is no more than the numeral indicated thereon. The numeral piece is only allowed to move either horizontally or vertically, and is not allowed to move diagonally unless the move is along the diagonal line and for capturing a hostile playing piece. When moving along the horizontal line or the vertical line to capture the hostile playing piece, the numeral piece is allowed to capture the hostile numeral piece with an equivalent numeral or a smaller numeral only. However, when moving along the diagonal line to capture the hostile numeral pieces, the numeral pieces is only allowed to capture the hostile numeral piece having an equivalent numeral or a larger numeral only. Any playing piece is allowed to capture the hostile sovereign piece, and the sovereign piece is also allowed to capture any hostile numeral piece. When a move of any playing piece of a player capture the hostile playing piece, the move must stop at where the hostile playing piece is captured, and it is changed to the other player to make a move. The first player who captures the hostile sovereign piece wins.

According to the present invention, the playing board is configured with a matrix including a plurality of squares defined by seven vertical lines indicated by upper-case letters A through G, and ten horizontal lines indicated by lower-case letters a through j on a surface of the playing board, the vertical lines crossing over with the horizontal lines. The region defined from the horizontal line a to the horizontal line e is allocated to a first player, and the region defined from the horizontal line f to the horizontal line j is allocated to a second player. The region defined between the horizontal line e and the horizontal line f is a public region. Each square of regions allocated to the both players includes a diagonal line. The squares are classified into six vertical files. A first file of the squares include diagonal lines (Aa-Bb), (Ab-Bc), (Ac-Bd), (Ad-Be), (Ag-Bf), (Ah-Bg), (Ai-Bh), and (Aj-Bi). A second file of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the first file. A third file of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the second file. A fourth file of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the third file. A fifth file of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the fourth file. A sixth file of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the fifth file.

According to the present invention, before starting to play the board game, all playing pieces are set up on the playing board showing their front faces to the two players, so that the players can identify each of the playing pieces from others. The sovereign pieces of the two players are set up on intersections Da and Dj, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 1 of the two players are set up on intersections Ad, Gd, and Ag, Gg, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 2 of the two players are set up on intersections Bc, Dc, Fc, and Bh, Dh, Fh, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 3 of the two players are set up on intersections Ca, Ea, and Cj, Ej, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 4 of the two players are set up on intersections Ba, Fa, and Bj, Fj, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 5 of the two players are set up on intersections Aa, Ga, and Aj, Gj, respectively. After the playing pieces are set up, the board game according to the present invention is played by following the rules mentioned above.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the playing pieces of the board game are played covertly. Before playing the board game, all playing pieces are reversed to show backsides of the playing pieces to the players so that the players cannot identify the playing pieces. The reversed playing pieces are shuffled and then randomly filled inside the squares of the playing board. When playing the board game, two players alternate making an action. In each action, the player can disclose one reversed playing piece to both of the players or move one disclosed playing pieces one step. The two families of playing pieces can be distinguished from each other by colors indicated on their front surfaces. The player who makes the first action controls the family indicated by the color of the first disclosed playing piece. The other player controls the hostile family indicted by another color. After all of the reversed playing pieces have been disclosed, the players have to alternate moving the playing piece one step each time. The numeral piece is allowed to capture the hostile numeral pieces indicated with an equivalent numeral or a smaller numeral. The sovereign piece is allowed to capture all hostile playing pieces except the numeral pieces indicated with numeral 1. The numeral pieces indicated, with numeral 1 are allowed to capture the hostile sovereign piece. The first player who captures the hostile sovereign piece wins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a playing board of a bidirectional board game according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a first player's playing pieces according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a second player's playing pieces according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 shows an initial formation of the playing pieces of the two players before starting the board game according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A bidirectional board game according to the present invention includes a playing board 1 and a plurality of playing pieces 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, the playing board 1 is configured with a matrix including a plurality of squares defined by seven vertical lines indicated by upper-case letters A through G, and ten horizontal lines indicated by lower-case letters a through j on a surface of the playing board. The vertical lines cross over with the horizontal lines. The matrix includes six vertically aligned files, a first file 11 through a sixth file 16 of the squares. The region defined from the horizontal line a to the horizontal line e is allocated to a first player, and the region defined from the horizontal line f to the horizontal line j is allocated to a second player. The region defined between the horizontal lines e and the horizontal line f is a public region. Each square of regions allocated to both of the players includes a diagonal line. The first file 11 of the squares includes the diagonal lines (Aa-Bb), (Ab-Bc), (Ac-Bd), (Ad-Be), (Ag-Bf), (Ah-Bg), (Ai-Bh), and (Aj-Bi). The second file 12 of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the first file 11. The third file 13 of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the second file 12. The fourth file 14 of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the third file 13. The fifth file 15 of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the fourth 14 file. The sixth file 16 of the squares includes diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the fifth file 15.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the playing pieces 2 are divided into two distinguishable families controlled by the first player and the second player, respectively. Each family of the playing pieces 2 includes one sovereign piece indicating a sovereign of the family represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 1 represented with a word or a symbol, three numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 2 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 3 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 4 represented with a word or a symbol, and two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 5 represented with a word or a symbol. According to the present invention, the two families can be distinguished by different colors. The two families can also be distinguished by different types of the symbols, such as Roman numerals and Arabic numerals.

FIG. 2 illustrates the playing pieces 2 of the first player of the bidirectional board game according to the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates playing pieces 2 of the second player of the bidirectional board game according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the sovereign piece of the first player is represented with a word “Queen”, and the numeral pieces of the first player are represented with Arabic numerals 1 through 5, respectively. Referring to FIG. 3, the sovereign piece of the second player is represented with a word “King”, and the numeral pieces of the second player are represented with Roman numerals □ through □, respectively. Of course, other words or symbols, such as a crown or a scepter, can also be used to represent the sovereign piece. Also, a predetermined number of symbols can also be used to represent the numeral pieces. For example, one diamond represents the numeral 1, and two diamonds represents the numeral 2.

The two players embattle with their playing pieces in a certain formation before starting the game. FIG. 4 shows an initial formation of the playing pieces of the two players before starting the board game according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, before starting to play the board game, all playing pieces 2 are set up on the playing board 1 showing their front faces to the two players, so that the players can identify each of the playing pieces from others. The sovereign pieces of the two players are set up on intersections Da and Dj, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 1 of the two players are set up on intersections Ad, Gd, and Ag, Gg, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 2 of the two players are set up on intersections Bc, Dc, Fc, and Bh, Dh, Fh, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 3 of the two players are set up on intersections Ca, Ea, and Cj, Ej, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 4 of the two players are set up on intersections Ba, Fa, and Bj, Fj, respectively. The numeral pieces indicating numeral 5 of the two players are set up on intersections Aa, Ga, and Aj, Gj, respectively.

Terms used in the method for playing the bidirectional board game is defined as follows:

-   -   1. when making a move with the playing piece 2, a distance from         an intersection to an immediate adjacent intersection along         horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines is defined as a “step”;     -   2. moving a playing piece 2 either horizontally or vertically to         an intersection occupied by a hostile playing piece and removing         the hostile playing piece from the playing board is defined as         “capturing”;     -   3. moving a playing piece 2 along a diagonal line is defined as         a “diagonal move”; and     -   4. moving a playing piece 2 along a diagonal line to an         intersection occupied by a hostile playing piece and removing         the hostile playing piece from the playing board is defined as         “diagonal capturing”.

When playing the bidirectional board game, the first player and the second player alternately make an action. In each action, the sovereign piece is allowed to move one step either horizontally or vertically. The sovereign pieces are not allowed to move diagonally unless the move is along the diagonal line and for capturing the hostile playing piece. Each of the numeral pieces is allowed to move no more than a predetermined number of steps in each action, in which the predetermined number is equal to the numeral indicated thereon. The numeral piece is only allowed to move either horizontally or vertically, but is not allowed to move diagonally unless the move is along the diagonal line and for capturing the hostile playing piece. The numeral piece is not allowed to make a turn in one action. When diagonally capturing a hostile playing piece, the numeral piece is only allowed to move one step only. The playing piece is not allowed to move along a vertical line or a horizontal line first and then make a diagonal capturing in one action. For example, a playing piece indicating a numeral 3 is allowed to move one, two, or three steps in one action. In each action, when a move of any playing piece of a player captures a hostile playing piece, the move has to stop at where the hostile playing piece is captured, and it is changed to the other player to make a move. When moving along the horizontal line or the vertical line to capture the hostile playing piece, the numeral piece is allowed to capture the hostile numeral piece with an equivalent numeral or a smaller numeral only. However, when moving along the diagonal line to capture the hostile numeral piece, the numeral piece is allowed to capture the hostile numeral piece having an equivalent numeral or a larger numeral only. Any of the playing pieces is allowed to capture the hostile sovereign piece, and the sovereign piece is also allowed to capture any of the hostile playing pieces. The first player who captures the hostile sovereign piece is the winner.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the playing pieces of the board game are played with another method. When playing the board game in this method, only a region for one of the two players is required. In other words, a playing field of the board game includes twenty four squares. Before starting to play the board game, all playing pieces are reversed to show backsides of the playing pieces to the players so that the players cannot identify the playing pieces. The reversed playing pieces are shuffled and then randomly filled in the twenty four squares of the playing board. When playing the board game, the first player and the second player alternately make an action. In each action, the player can disclose any one reversed playing piece to both of the two players or move any disclosed playing piece one step. The player who makes the first action controls the family of the first disclosed playing piece. The other player controls the hostile family. After all of the reversed playing pieces have been disclosed, the players is required to move one of the playing pieces of his controlled family in one action. In each action, a numeral piece is allowed to capture a hostile numeral pieces indicated with an equivalent numeral or a smaller numeral. A sovereign piece is allowed to capture any hostile playing piece except the numeral piece indicated with numeral 1. The numeral pieces indicated with numeral 1 are allowed to capture hostile sovereign piece. The first player who captures all of the hostile playing pieces is the winner.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims. 

1. A bidirectional board game, comprising: a playing board, configured with a matrix of a plurality of squares defined by seven vertical lines indicated by upper-case letters A through G respectively, and ten horizontal lines indicated by lower-case letters a through j respectively on a surface of the playing board, the vertical lines crossing over with the horizontal lines; wherein a region defined from the horizontal line a to the horizontal line e is allocated to a first player, a region defined from the horizontal line f to the horizontal line j is allocated to a second player, and a region defined from the horizontal line e to the horizontal line f is a public region; each of the squares located in the regions allocated to the players has a diagonal line; the squares are classified into six vertically aligned files, a first file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines (Aa-Bb), (Ab-Bc), (Ac-Bd), (Ad-Be), (Ag-Bf), (Ah-Bg), (Ai-Bh), and (Aj-Bi), a second file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the first file, a third file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the second file, a fourth file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the third file, a fifth file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the fourth file, and a sixth file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the fifth file; and two families of distinguishable playing pieces controlled by the first player and the second player, respectively, each family having: one sovereign piece indicating a sovereign of the family represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 1 represented with a word or a symbol, three numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 2 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 3 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 4 represented with a word or a symbol, and two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 5 represented with a word or a symbol; wherein the playing pieces are placed at one of intersections of the lines and the squares; when the playing pieces are placed at the intersections of lines, the playing pieces are moved along the lines and from the intersections to the intersections; when the playing pieces are placed in the squares, the playing pieces are moved from the squares to the squares.
 2. A method for playing a bidirectional board game, comprising: providing a playing board, configured with a matrix of a plurality of squares defined by seven vertical lines indicated by upper-case letters A through G respectively, and ten horizontal lines indicated by lower-case letters a through j respectively on a surface of the playing board, the vertical lines crossing over with the horizontal lines; wherein a region defined from the horizontal line a to the horizontal line e is allocated to a first player, a region defined from the horizontal line f to the horizontal line j is allocated to a second player, and a region defined from the horizontal line e to the horizontal line f is a public region; each square of the regions allocated to the players has a diagonal line; the squares are classified into six vertically aligned files; a first file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines (Aa-Bb), (Ab-Bc), (Ac-Bd), (Ad-Be), (Ag-Bf), (Ah-Bg), (Ai-Bh), and (Aj-Bi), a second file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being minored to the diagonal lines in the first file, a third file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the second file, a fourth file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the third file, a fifth file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the fourth file; and a sixth file of the squares comprises the diagonal lines being mirrored to the diagonal lines in the fifth file; providing two families of distinguishable playing pieces controlled by the first player and the second player, respectively; each family comprising one sovereign piece indicating a sovereign of the family represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 1 represented with a word or a symbol, three numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 2 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 3 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 4 represented with a word or a symbol; and two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 5 represented with a word or a symbol; setting up the sovereign pieces of the two players on the intersections Da and Dj, respectively, setting up the numeral pieces indicating numeral 1 of the two players on the intersections Ad, Gd, and Ag, Gg, respectively, setting up the numeral pieces indicating numeral 2 of the two players on the intersections Bc, Dc, Fc, and Bh, Dh, Fh, respectively, setting up the numeral pieces indicating numeral 3 of the two players on the intersections Ca, Ea, and Cj, Ej, respectively, setting up the numeral pieces indicating numeral 4 of the two players on the intersections Ba, Fa, and Bj, Fj, respectively, and setting up the numeral pieces indicating numeral 5 of the two players on the intersections Aa, Ga, and Aj, Gj, respectively; and allowing the first player and the second player to alternately make an action until one of the sovereign pieces is captured; wherein the playing pieces are moved from intersections of the lines to the intersections of the lines; the sovereign pieces are allowed to move one step in one of horizontal and vertical directions, but are not allowed to move diagonally unless the move is along the diagonal line and for capturing the hostile playing piece; each of the numeral pieces is allowed to move no more than a predetermined number of steps in each action, and the predetermined number is equal to the numeral indicated thereon; each of the numeral pieces is allowed to move in one of the horizontal or vertical directions, but is not allowed to move diagonally unless the move is along the diagonal line and for capturing the hostile playing piece; each of the numeral pieces is not allowed to make a turn in one action; when diagonally capturing the hostile playing piece, the numeral piece is only allowed to move one step; the playing piece is not allowed to move in one of vertical and horizontal directions first and then make a diagonal capturing in one action, when moving in one of the horizontal and vertical directions to capture the hostile numeral piece, the numeral piece is allowed to capture the hostile numeral piece with an equivalent numeral or a smaller numeral only; when moving along the diagonal line to capture the hostile numeral pieces, the numeral pieces is allowed to capture the hostile numeral piece having an equivalent numeral or a larger numeral only; the playing piece is allowed to capture the hostile sovereign piece, and the sovereign piece is allowed to capture the hostile playing piece; when a move of the playing piece of the player captures the hostile playing piece, the move stops at where the hostile playing piece is captured, and it is changed to the other player to make a move; the first player who captures the hostile sovereign piece wins.
 3. A method for playing a bidirectional board game, comprising: providing a playing board, comprising twenty four squares arranged in a matrix defined by seven vertical lines and five horizontal lines; providing two families of distinguishable playing pieces controlled by a first player and a second player, respectively; each family comprising one sovereign piece indicating a sovereign of the family represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 1 represented with a word or a symbol, three numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 2 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 3 represented with a word or a symbol, two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 4 represented with a word or a symbol, and two numeral pieces each indicating a numeral 5 represented with a word or a symbol; reversing all of the playing pieces to show backsides of the playing pieces to the players so that the players cannot identify the playing pieces; shuffling the reversed playing pieces and then randomly placing the reversed playing pieces in the squares of the playing board; and allowing the first player and the second player to alternately make an action until all the playing pieces of one of the families are captured; wherein in each action, the player is allowed to do one of disclosing one of the reversed playing pieces to both of the players and moving one of the disclosed playing pieces one step; the player who makes the first action controls the family of the first disclosed playing piece, and the other player controls the hostile family; after all of the reversed playing pieces have been disclosed, the player is required to move one of the playing pieces of his controlled family in one action; a numeral piece is allowed to capture a hostile numeral piece indicated with an equivalent numeral or a smaller numeral; a sovereign piece is allowed to capture all of the hostile playing pieces except those indicated with numeral 1; the numeral pieces indicated with numeral 1 is allowed to capture the hostile sovereign piece; and the first player who captures all of the hostile playing pieces wins. 